Best deals in the December sales revealed by Which? – Which? News

Are you after a new laptop, TV or fridge freezer? Or maybe you want cheaper broadband? We’ve found great discounts on tech, home electricals and kitchen appliances for December.

This deals round-up features only products we’ve rigorously tested in our labs – we never recommend ‘deals’ on duds.

Our tests are objective and reflect how things are used in real life, so you can trust the accuracy of our reviews: read them before you buy.

* References to ‘average price’ and ‘cheapest price’ are based on Which? market knowledge and information supplied by our partners. Prices are checked for the six calendar months prior to publication. Not all retailers are included in our checks.

Grab genuine bargains and get free tips from our experts by signing up to our monthly Deals newsletter

Best mobile phone deal

Google Pixel 8 Pro

* Average price in the past six months £809. Cheapest price in the past six months £499.

• Google Tensor G3 processor
• Versatile cameras
• Seven years of support from launch

We like Streamlined and fast user experience

We don’t like The battery could be better

Google’s most advanced phone from 2023 is the cheapest we’ve ever seen it in the early Back Friday deals. It has a variety of camera lenses for high-resolution shots and it’s the only phone in the Pixel 8 series to get Google Gemini Nano. This is Google’s AI model for smartphones designed to help simplify and speed up day-to-day tasks. It has other fancy features too, such as a sensor that lets you scan an object to measure its temperature. Google claims you can use this to check if your pan is hot enough to start cooking, for example.

Notably, it also offers seven years of security updates from launch. So even though it’s a year old, you won’t have to trade it in any time soon.

Buy it direct from Google for £499 or compare prices below. Compare contract deals on the 8 Pro or read our Google Pixel 8 Pro review.

See more of the best mobile and Sim-only deals.

Best laptop deal

HP Pavilion 16-af0002na

* Average price in the past six months £927. Cheapest price in the past six months £750.

• Intel Ultra 7 processor
• 16GB of Ram
• 16-inch screen

We like Lots of ports

We don’t like Screen could be better

This is a powerful, large laptop with sufficient specs – including 16GB Ram – to futureproof it for years to come.

Its giant 1TB SSD should mean you don’t have to worry about running out of storage space. It weighs 1.72kg, making it reasonably portable to carry around, despite its larger screen. 

Read our expert review of the HP Pavilion 16-af0002na to see if it meets your needs. 

See more of the best laptop deals.

Best tablet deal  

Samsung Galaxy Tab S9+

* Average price in the past six months £965. Cheapest price in the past six months: £649.

• 12.4-inch screen
• Qualcomm Snapdragon SM8550 processor with 12GB of Ram
• 256GB of storage

We like Great cameras for pictures and video

We don’t like Not especially comfortable to hold for long periods as it’s big

It’s the middle child in Samsung’s S9 range, which includes the 11-inch S9 and the 14.6-inch S9 Ultra. This model, the S9+, has a 12.6-inch screen, which means it’s one of the bigger tablets around. The screen’s 1,848 x 2,960 resolution means it’s a 2K screen that’s sharper than HD.

It charges via USB-C and the cable you need is included, but you’ll need to supply your own plug. You get a stylus though, which is nice, especially if you fancy doing some art.

Is this a tablet for you? Find out with our expert Samsung Galaxy S9+ review.

The 512GB storage version is down to £749 at John Lewis. Below, find the best deals for the 256GB version.

See more of the best iPad and tablet deals.

Best broadband deal

Zen Full Fibre 100 CityFibre – £150 Amazon voucher

Until midnight on 9 December, Zen Broadband is offering a £150 Amazon voucher when you switch to one of its CityFibre range of full fibre broadband products. 

Our pick is Full Fibre 100, which offers 106Mb average speeds on an 18-month contract. Plus, Zen’s price guarantee means you won’t face price rises as long as you’re a customer. Read our Zen Internet broadband review to find out more about the provider.  

See more of the best broadband deals, or check deals in your area by entering your postcode below.

Best TV deal

Samsung QE48S90D

* Average price in the past six months £1,332. Cheapest price in the past six months £875.

• 48-inch 4K TV
• QLED display
• Supports HDR10, HLG and HDR10+ formats

We like HDR is used expertly

We don’t like The body of the TV rattles a bit at some frequencies

The QE48S90D is Samsung’s first 48-inch OLED TV. It’s not alone in making smaller OLEDs though, and faces stiff competition from LG, Panasonic and Sony.

Still, Samsung certainly has the pedigree to make the best 48-inch OLED of 2024 and, characteristically of the manufacturer’s range, this model has plenty of good accessibility features.

Check out the full Samsung QE48S90D review to see how this one scored in our tests.

See more of the best TV deals.

Best vacuum cleaner deal

Dyson V12 Detect Slim Absolute

* Average price in the past six months £496. Cheapest price in the past six months £383.95.

• Bagless and cordless handstick vacuum cleaner
• 0.4-litre dust capacity
• Weighs 2.5kg

We like It’s easy to use

We don’t like It’s not the quietest

Like many Dyson models, this one comes with several eye-catching features. There’s a laser beam on the illuminated cleaner head to highlight tiny dust particles on hard floors, and a digital screen that displays the number of particles that’ve been sucked up. It also shows you the three power modes (auto, eco and boost), the battery life, and sends maintenance alerts.

This model also comes with a hair tool for picking up animal fur and long hair, a crevice tool for cleaning narrow gaps and other nooks and crannies, a wand clip, a low reach adaptor, a combination tool and a charging station. 

To find out how well it performed, read the full Dyson V12 Detect Slim Absolute review.

The yellow/nickel version is available for £394 from John Lewis, or £400 from Currys and Dyson, or compare prices at other retailers:

See more of the best vacuum cleaner deals.

Best fridge freezer deal

Fridgemaster MC55251DE

*Average price in the past six months £366. Cheapest price in the past six months £299.

• Freestanding
• Frost-free freezer
• White

We like It has a cold-water dispenser and reversible doors

We don’t like The vegetable drawer dried contents out in our tests, so eat sensitive, moisture-loving fruit or veg promptly

This Fridgemaster was already cheaper than the average fridge freezer, and now that it’s at the cheapest we’ve seen it at Very, it’s a great time to buy. 

It’s a fairly basic model, as you’d expect from the low price, so there’s no fast-freeze or fast-chill functions or open door alarm.

It has a non-plumbed dispenser for chilled water and a reasonable capacity of 10 supermarket shopping bags.

Read our full Fridgemaster MC55251DE review, or our reviews of the Fridgemaster MC55251DEB (black version) or the Fridgemaster MC55251DES (stainless steel version). 

You can buy it direct from Very for £379 or check out prices at other retailers below. 

See more of the best fridge freezer deals.

Best air fryer deal

Tower T17102 Vortx Vizion

* Average price in the past six months £123. Cheapest price in the past six months £71.

We like The viewing windows are handy 

We don’t like It could be easier to clean

This 2,400W oven-type air fryer comes with a digital flatscreen control panel, two cooking racks, two cooking baskets and two drip trays. Both compartments have glass viewing windows.

Air fryer newbies can get off to a flying start as there are 10 pre-set programs to choose from, including chips, chicken wings, fish, steak, vegetables, toast and even cake.

Read the full Tower T17102 Vortx Vizion review to find out if it’s worth the money.

See more of the best air fryer deals.

Best mattress deal

Sleepsoul Nebula

We like It’s rated very cold to lie on, 10-year warranty included

We don’t like Pressure distribution could be better, it’s bouncy, cover isn’t removable

Full-priced, this double mattress is already cheaper than average, and if you’re after a pocket sprung mattress for less than £250 you’re on to a winner. 

The large pocket sprung core of the Nebula makes it ideal for anyone who overheats easily as it won’t trap heat around you, even with the top layer of foam. Our only real gripe is that pressure distribution could be better, so if you think this will bother you, take a look at our other deals. 

Check what sleep trial is on offer before you buy, as it differs between retailers.

Will this double mattress give you a stellar night’s sleep? Go to our Sleepsoul Nebula review to read our full test results. 

See more of the best mattress deals.

Best washing machine deal

Zanussi ZWF142F1DG

* Average price in the past six months £458. Cheapest price in the last six months: £369

We like It has auto sensors

We don’t like The door needs a good tug to open

This washer can hold up to 10kg of laundry, so it’s best suited to larger households. There are 14 programs spanning cottons, synthetics and an eco 40 wash, as well as specialist programs for denim, sportswear and dark colours. Plus you’ll get speed washes, including a 14-minute refresh and 30-minute rapid wash. 

There’s no smart connectivity, but it does have a time-remaining display, a delayed-start option of up to 20 hours, and a child lock. It also has sensors to detect how much laundry is in the drum, so that it can tailor water and energy use to match.

Read our full Zanussi ZWF142F1DG review to find out if it ticks all the boxes.

See more of the best washing machine deals.

December sale shopping tips

Check the Which? website 

As well as telling you which products are best and which are lacking, we’ve also put together a list of the best and worst shops. 

We’ve quizzed thousands of Which? members on their experiences of shopping in some of the country’s best-known stores and websites, as well as with lesser-known brands. 

After crunching the numbers, we can reveal which retailers score highly for product quality, range and value for money. To see the retailers that impressed in our latest shopping survey, head to our extensive guide on the best and worst shops.

Watch out for sneaky tricks

Some retailers use underhand tactics to pressure you into making a purchase. 

These include anchor pricing (when products are on sale more often than they aren’t), pressure selling (‘30 people are viewing this right now!’) and dubious claims about the ‘before’ price of a product. 

If you’re unsure how good a deal is, check our reviews for a selection of prices at different retailers or use a tool such as PriceRunner to compare prices across retailers. 

Research customer reviews

It’s always a good idea to read reviews before you buy a product, but not all are trustworthy. 

Some sellers incentivise people to post fake positive reviews to drown out genuine negative ones. If you’re in any doubt, check our expert guide on how to spot a fake review. 

Returning goods

Whether you bought a product in-store or online, you still have rights under the Consumer Contract Regulations. 

The regulations give you a 14-day window to return a non-faulty product, which begins on the day you receive your goods. Many retailers will give you longer than this, but it’s always best to check before you buy. 

We’ve put together advice in our online returns guide on the additional rights you have when shopping online.